Best Area to Live in Kunming?

[vexed]

Hi,

I'm trying to get an idea of the different areas in Kunming since I'll be living there soon. I've been told that Wenlin is the 'foreigner area' and it seems pretty close to everything - bars, restaurants, my school etc. However, I guess it gets pretty noisy there, right? The other area I've been told about is in the North of the city (Bei Chen) which is apparently quieter and has nicer apartments. However, this is further away from the centre and my school so travel time would be more.

Which area do you think is better? Or are there any other places you can recommend?

My budget is 1,000 - 1,500RMB per month.

Any help would be appreciated.

[sui.generis]

I lived at 苏家塘 a little north of Yunnan Normal on 建设路. It wasn't super upscale like the northern neighborhoods you described (I had a friend with a place up there, it was swanky), but I found it to be very convenient and cheap. It's been several years, and I can't remember exactly what I paid, but I'm sure it was below your range. I was probably desensitized to the noise because I spent a month living right next to an all night construction project just before I moved there.

It boasted fairly quick access to one walmart, a movie theater, green lake, and a large number of universities, as well as pizza and a foreigners grocery store on 文林街 in addition to other bars and resturants. I can't remember just how close the carrefour (walmart-esque French grocery) was anymore. There are (or were, my intel is several years out of date) two McDonalds and a KFC nearby, actually, you can throw a rock from one spot and hit both of them. I actually hate McDonalds, but after a few months in China, I did find myself swinging by once every couple of months. I can't remember the exact location of Wei's pizzeria, my favorite, but it's a little more of a jaunt south. And there are plenty of small Chinese stores nearby so getting necessities is convenient, but I imagine that's true no matter where you are.

Across from sujiatang, there are a number of tiny resturants that I became very fond of and ate at about 75% of the time, though with the turnaround on those hole in the wall spaces, who knows if they're still there. And just across the railroad tracks there's a very nice place with a killer (and cheap) 铁板牛肉 and another dish I loved that I can't remember the name of just now. That was one of my favorites.

[abcdefg]

To state the obvious, a good plan would be to first figure out where you will work or study and then find a place to live not too far from there.

Getting from the north of Kunming to the more central areas can be time consuming during peak hours since there are only a small handful of major north-south streets and lots of traffic on them. It can easily take an hour of aggravating commute each way.

The Wenlin Jie area isn't too noisy. What you really want to avoid is industrial zones, construction zones, and living near a large highway.

Rent in Kunming has gone up a whole lot in the past two or three years. Anything you read from two or three years ago probably will not be valid now.

[vexed]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll be working on Tao Yuan Street in the Panlong District. According to Google Maps, Wen Lin Jie is about 3km away (30 min walk) and Bei Chen is 5,2km away (1hr walk). Purely on that basis Wen Lin Jie seems to be a better place, but I also want to consider other factors like proximity to restaurants, bars, cafes, supermarkets, train/bus stations etc; noise levels; price; and quality of apartment.

[abcdefg]

Do you mean 桃源村?

I think your estimated walking times are off because they are based on "as the crow flies" distances on the map instead of being based on actual distance on the street.

Restaurants, grocery stores and so on are almost always available near residential areas. Busses are everywhere. Unless you have a particular desire for easy access to foreigner-oriented establishments, you will find it more economical to stay away from the areas where they are concentrated, such as Wenlin Jie.

In any event, I'm sure you'll want to arrive and have a look around for yourself before deciding.

[vexed]

I'm not sure of the name in Hanzi - from the map, Tao Yuan Street is a long road alongside Panlong River. The times are based on the Google Maps walking route (not as the crow flies) - however, I don't know how reliable they are. I'd be more willing to trust someone on the ground than a computer program.

I'll certainly have a look once I get there but I'm trying to garner as much info as a I can now so that I can be more informed.

[abcdefg]

I found your street on Google Maps. It's a real long street. If you are up near the zoo, the walking time of 30 minutes to Wenlin Jie might be about right.

I'm afraid I don't know enough to be of more help, but I commend you on your efforts to find out as much as possible in advance.

[abcdefg]

@vexed, Where did you decide to live and how is it working out?

[vexed]

Hey,

I found a nice place near to Green Lake and Wen Lin Jie. There's a cool little market nearby and it takes about 30mins to walk to work. I really like the apartment (paying 1,500RMB for it) - it's spacious and bright. The only downside is that I live right next to a school which means lie ins are impossible!

I happy to be near some foreigner friendly places for now. After establishing myself and learning more Mandarin I'll probably move to a different area.

Thanks again for the advice.

[abcdefg]

I'm glad it worked out well for you.

[sui.generis]

another dish I loved that I can't remember the name of just now

回购肉! (huigourou) It only took me a month to remember, but boy was it good. I had those dishes about once a week. Here's the approximate coordinates if you're interested.

[abcdefg]

回购肉! (huigourou) It only took me a month to remember, but boy was it good.

Gee, I don't recognize that. Are you sure you spelled it right? What was it like?

[sui.generis]

It was greasy as all get out, like most meals I had there. It was pork and looked a little like bacon cooked together with what I guess were green onions. By way of Googling, it is apparently referred to as Twice Cooked Pork. See here.

[abcdefg]

Hmm. Guess I'll pass on 回购肉.

This year I'm lucky in that I live very close (2 minutes walk) from a good small open air market which sells a variety of fresh local produce. This has enticed me to cook more meals at home than I would ordinarily do.

Interesting interactions there two or three times a week. I'll be buying something and another shopper, usually an older woman, will ask how I plan to cook it. She then proceeds to give me recipe tips and says to add some of this or that for best results.

Other times I'll be buying a chicken or a fish or a cut of meat and another shopper, again usually an older woman, will ask what I'm going to make. Then she may suggest I buy a different type of fish or a different part of the chicken or a different cut of meat because it works better with that particular dish.

Makes me feel real good when they kind of take me under their wing like that and volunteer their expert advice. There is really nothing in it for them; they are just helping out a strager from another land. And I'm 100% sure they aren't wanting to practice English with me or sell me overpriced Beijing tea.

The market is the area with blue tin roofs and faded red umbrellas. Took the snapshot from my living room window.

Edited April 22, 2010 at 02:33 AM by abcdefg